The present invention relates to a method of controlling and judging simultaneous machining performed by a quadriaxial numerical control lathe having two tool rests.
FIGS. 1 to 3 in combination illustrate how a simultaneous machining is performed by a quadriaxial numerical control lathe.
A quadriaxial numerical control lathe, having two tool rests 16,17 controllable independently, can perform a simultaneous machining of workpiece by means of the tools held by these tool rests to offer a high efficiency of the machining work. On the other hand, however, the simultaneous machining performed with this type of lathe requires a decision in the programming as to the standard of the machining performed by the tools 19 on the tool rests 16,17, in order to avoid a serious accident such as mechanical interference between the tool rests 16 and 17 or between the tools 19.
Hitherto, this decision has been made by the programmer who works out the machining program. More specifically, the programmer is obliged to minutely analyze and study the content of machining for each process to form programs for respective tool rests making a decision as to whether two kinds of the machining of the workpiece should be carried out simultaneously or the machining operations should be carried out one after the other. This programming work is extremely troublesome and requires high level of knowledge as well as experience. In addition, an amendment of the machining program for one of the tool rests is often accompanied by the necessity for an amendment of the machining program for the other tool rest. In consequence, considerable time and labor are required for the maintenance and management of the program.